SUMMER 2006

Executive Director’s Report

Dear Friends,

Since the Council's 1988 founding, Square D-Schneider Electric and Robert Fiorani, Vice-President Communication, have been loyal, enthusiastic supporters of NWCC. The company recently gave the Council a generous gift that will be used to enhance existing programs and sponsor new ones. For instance, the Square D-Schneider Electric gift will allow NWCC to bring "Kids Meet Art"™ to several Elgin District #300 Elementary Schools, and the company will join other donors to underwrite the Council's work. In addition, it will sponsor the Annual Photography Competition. Please join us at the reception on June 17 from 2-4, when Mr. Fiorani will announce the competition's annual winners.

April was an active month for the Council.

The Council's reception for Architectural Inspirations on April 23rd drew a large, appreciative audience to enjoy architectural renderings created by architect John Green. Green's show included meticulous drawings of famous architecture from around world as well as his plans for modern buildings, homes and parks that were inspired by those sites and buildings. For photos and more on his show, see pages 8 and 9. I give my thanks to Sue Dunn for introducing us to John.

Thanks to the efforts of NWCC volunteer Sherrie Kirmse, the Council celebrated April's National Poetry Month with a display of poems written by NWCC's SECOND SATURDAY POETRY WORKSHOP leaders. The poems were prominently displayed at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Schaumburg.

NWCC Board Member Mary Jo Willis, who is also retired Chair of Harper College's Performing Arts Department, invited NWCC Board of Directors, Advisory Board members, artists, poets and special friends of the Council to an April reception at Harper College for their 29th Annual National Small Works Exhibition, 2006.

The 22 pieces, representing 15 artists, were selected from a pool of more than 1,300 slides. The limited number of works was installed in a large room, which allowed individual pieces to be viewed by visitors without distractions.

Both Dr. Dennis Weeks, Dean of Liberal Arts, and Mary Jo Willis spoke about the importance of art. Dennis said, "For me the arts enable us to see our world in a different way from how we normally see our daily lives. The arts bring us fully alive". And Mary Jo said, "Through art, we share our common humanity. Through art, we do the work of the heart and the work of the spirit".

Their comments reflect the reasons for the Council's existence.

Warmest regards,

Kathy

  READING THE ART OF WORDS

Eiffes Integrates Language Arts goals into the Art Classroom

Darlene Eiffes, librarian at the Rolling Meadows Public Library, seeks to combine Illinois English language art goals with Illinois applied art goals in her "Kids Meet Art"™ ("KMA"™) sessions. Darlene brings a background of rich personal experience to NWCC. She has taught art at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and at Academia Cotopaxi, Quito, Ecuador. Her art experience includes designing theater sets, props and posters, t-shirts, and beaded jewelry.

The project entitled "Reading the Art of Words" starts with a brief history of manuscripts and codex in Europe, examines modern examples of printed materials in contemporary magazines, and ends with a student collage project which incorporates the concept of artwork in illuminated texts.

Following the introduction, students fill in a personal reflection survey to discover words that describe their unique self. The art activity is a personal collage of words and pictures. A letter from their name is cut out in large size and embellished in the manner of ancient illuminated manuscripts. Words and pictures cut from magazines, reflect the students' personalities and are arranged around the decorated letter and then glued in place. When the project is finished, students critique their work using a form to guide their thoughts.

At the end, students have an art piece in which modern materials are used to express personal thoughts in the manner of ancient illuminated manuscripts. Thus the dry academic goals are brought to life in an illumination.

Barbara Schneider, textile artist and Deborah Rosen, poet
Introduce Students to Japanese Art Forms

NWCC artist Barbara Schneider provides a multidisciplinary cultural experience to children in her "Kids Meet Art"™ sessions. The culture is that of Japan, where Barbara has traveled frequently.

Each session starts with a slide show, using pictures she has taken herself and is tailored to the project of the day. Students enter and leave the classroom to the sound of Taiko drums, providing an additional dimension of Japanese culture. During the lesson itself, the soft, calm sound of Kyoto music plays in the background.

ORIGAMI BOXES

To introduce the "Origami Box" project, Barbara shows slides from Japan illustrating design principles as seen in origami, crafts and packaging. The project asks kids to create a folded two piece box set. They learn to cut, fold, and assemble a top and bottom of a box set. In the process they learn relationships between a two dimensional pattern and its three dimensional realization. They explore visual and size relationships, learn hand skills, and come to realize how precision makes the pattern work correctly. Finally, the use of Japanese papers to decorate the box further enhances the cultural experience.

NOTAN PAPERCUT DESIGN

The "Notan Papercut Design" project explores the Notan or dark-light design principle. This principle is about the interaction of positive (light) and negative (dark) space, based on the ancient Ying Yang symbol, mirror images revolving around the point of equilibrium. Opposites in Ying and Yang and Notan complement one another, the interaction of dark and light in harmony. In this project students cut free form designs from black paper and reassemble them in a precise way on a white background. The purpose is to appreciate the relationship between the positive and negative spaces. Everything is used, nothing discarded. Students consider examples of both symmetrical and asymmetrical solutions. The project is infinitely variable and changes perceptions of the use of space, light, dark, size and shape. Students become aware of relationships between positive and negative shapes, consider visual and size relationships, learn hand skills, and use creativity to vary the results.

Both projects provide insights to the culture of Japan while enabling students to use basic art principles to produce a satisfying result.

Haiku

In addition to her sessions teaching writing skills and the process of writing, "Kids Meet Art"™ presenter Deborah Rosen, also teaches the ancient art of writing Haiku poetry.

Haiku is the shortest form of all poetry; it captures a moment in the writer's life. Originally Haiku poems focused on the beauty of nature. As people from different cultures became familiar with and enjoyed the ability to share the essence of a thought or idea, with limited words, the subject matter of Haikus increased.

A Haiku is three lines long with the first and third line composed of five syllables, while the second has seven syllables. An example of a Haiku written by a student at Blackwell School in Schaumburg, IL.

Going down the chimney
Eating cookies giving gifts
Santa is the best.

The work of both Barbara and Deborah not only introduces students to interesting art forms but encourages students to seek more information about a culture they are not familiar with. It is our hope that this new knowledge will engender respect and appreciation for a culture other than their own.

ICONS AND ALTARS

An exhibition of work by "Twenty Two on View"

March 7 to March 28, 2006

Reception Sunday March 19, 1-3 pm

"Twenty Two on View" was formed several years ago by women artists who had exhibited together for many years at the Contemporary ArtCenter, in Arlington Heights. They continue to meet bimonthly to share their visions of art, to experience art encounters together and to discuss the development of art.

For this exhibition, each artist examined the theme in her own unique way, creating paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media pieces presenting a broad range of artistic interpretations of ICONS AND ALTARS.

"Ancestors Almanac", Mixed Tintypes by Margot Gottfried. "I felt the functional, discarded bits and pieces could give new life to this body of work, which makes me more connected to my past. My thoughts go back, past the people I knew to the ancestors from hundreds of years ago. I feel I know about their lives."

"The Evangelists", Copper Reponsse by Sandra Blanc. The copper is first tooled with it's design, then blackened with liver of sulfur, then gently rubbed with steel wool creating a soft old copper patina. The patina is preserved with wax. Ever since my children did repousse pieces when they were young and in art classes, I have loved the process and the look, and started doing my own work in the past few years. Among pieces I have done are individual pieces of the symbols of the evangelists which now belong to Our Lady of the Wayside Church. Another was a cross utilizing the processed copper attached to the wood. Although this was originally intended as a processional cross, it ended up as a reliquary cross in memory of 9/11. "The Evangelists" utilizes the symbols of all four evangelists, Matthew, Mark Luke and John in addition to other Christian symbols in a 5 1/2 foot by 12" wide banner. In the early churches were often found altars with silver repousse design. I preferred the look of the warm copper, but felt the medium and subject was appropriate to the Icons and Altars theme "Twenty Two on View" had decided upon.

"Wheeled Reliquary", Wood, Tin and Paper by Carole Komarek "From time to time, I have created works inspired by the idea of the reliquary… These special containers may hold, preserve, and at times transport simple substances that can serve as memorials, and are usually found in churches. In some instances, when these were remnants of a saintly person, these substances were believed to have the spiritual powers of the long dead individual. Icons, and images found on retablos (small devotional paintings of holy personages) used in Mexico and Latin America are also part of altars in the home, which inspired some of my work."

"Desk Top Icons", Acrylic on Canvas by Lee Stanton What do we worship as a culture. Is it money, sex, violence? Is it technology? What does our cultural climate say about us as a people? Millions of us sit in front of our computer screens all day, clicking on our desktop icons, tapping on keys. Is the computer becoming the altar of the new millennium?

ARCHITECTURAL INSPIRATIONS

The Gods Are In The Details
April 11 - May 23, 2006
Works by Groundwork Architects and John Green, AIA, NCARB
Reception Sunday, April 23, 2-4 p.m.

John Green developed a phenomenal show, Architectural Inspirations, which clearly illustrated some of what influenced his designs for local buildings, such as community centers, residential structures and storage facilities. Green, of Groundwork LTD., in Buffalo Grove, was joined by his business partner, David Wytmar.

Green travels extensively and his work reflects the rich insight he's gained from visiting countries like Guatemala, France and China, as well as how he has been inspired by temples in ancient Egypt and the colorful streets of Buenos Aires.

He seamlessly integrates sometimes ancient forms and design elements into modern architecture. In his work, you see intimate connections between seemingly disparate architectural expressions. For instance, you wouldn't imagine that the architectural details of a Buffalo Grove storage building were reinterpretations of forms and textures found at the Taj Mahal in Acra, India. Yet seeing renderings, building plans, as well as images of the two structures side by side, you're instantly persuaded of the visual connection between the two buildings.

In addition to photos and drawings, the show also included some spectacular examples of native clothing that Green has brought back from Bhutan, the Ukraine and Ghana.

The afternoon was capped off with a Q&A session with the audience. The discussion included Wytmar's and Green's views about sustainable design (and jokes about "green" and Green architecture), comments on some of Green's adventures overseas (ask him about his flight out of Bhutan) and why one of the architects is a devotee of Frank Lloyd Wright and the other is a Mies van der Rohe enthusiast.

Three Flags
AN ARTIST'S VIEW
By Nancy Rayborn

As our van full of artists traveled across the rolling French countryside, we were struck by the peaceful beauty of the tiny stone villages. They seemed untouched by time. But then we were reminded that not so long ago, these same quiet little farmsteads were occupied by invading Nazi forces.

The people of Normandy have not forgotten. Wherever the French flag is displayed in this area, it is surrounded by those of Britain and the United States. These triple displays are visible all along the way as we travel from Giverny to Honfleur, our painting destination on the English Channel.

Upon our arrival, we split up to explore the winding streets before settling down to paint the harbor. Attracted to rows of little shops where three flags are displayed, I was lucky enough to find a bench directly across the narrow street. I settled down to sketch the sight.

Absorbed by my composition, I did not notice that a trio of young French teenage boys rode up on their bicycles and silently surrounded me as I drew. Finally one could contain himself no longer - I had rearranged the flags in my drawing and had placed the French flag to one side, rather than in the middle. "Une meprize," he triumphantly announced to his companions, pointing out "my mistake." When I responded in English, huge smiles crossed their faces. "Une Americain!" We all laughed as they continued to chatter among themselves while they watched me begin to paint. Eventually they became restless and rode off down the cobblestone street.

The memory of this encounter still brings a smile to my face. I'm not so sure that I would feel comfortable being surrounded by a group of teenage boys in this country, but on this particular day, in this particular place, we were all at ease.

Arts Commentary

By Dr. Dennis L. Weeks, Dean of Liberal Arts, Harper College

When the Beatles were going strong, they wrote a song whose lyrics included the following words: "We all live in a yellow submarine." NASA has retrieved a capsule that has comet dust in it, and they claim that the dust might contain some elements used to create life. Marshall McLuhan, the major name in history of ideas and communication theory who lived from 1911 to 1980, saw our world as a global village. Physicists believe that all matter is a dance of electrons. I think that you see where I am going with this opening. All of us, no matter our culture, live on the earth and interact with each other. We are all the same stuff, good or bad. We are all subject to the same hopes and dreams, good or bad. We are all victims of ourselves, good or bad.

Wait a moment! Victims of ourselves? What can I possibly mean by that concept. While the idea may be a bit submerged in our consciousness, it is still there. We seem to do things that victimize us. Certain activities lure us in with their apparent promise of attention and yet they seem to fail upon closer examination. I paraphrase T.S. Eliot who wrote that to announce as one's own idea a truth that has been long known is to gain immediate attention at the price of ultimate neglect. It seems that the difference between the classical definition of culture as a culmination of the best that mankind has to offer civilization and what is dull and repetitive can sometimes be so close the division almost disappears. For example, the latest rage in New York and London galleries is to show the work of an artist, John Myatt, who originally made his living painting wonderful forgeries of famous works. Now, after being released from a British prison, his work is identified with a disclaimer on the back of the canvas as well as a microchip. There is even a web site where anyone may purchase a "genuine fake." Ironically, we do not know how many of his forgeries still exist in private and public collections and are thought to be the original work. The dividing line almost, but not quite, disappears, and in this case enters the criminal world.

If there is a floating line out there, then are we in danger of losing the original? I say that we are. If we see movies that are basically the same plot: boy meets girl; boy and girl fight; boy and girl make up; boy and girl marry; all live happily ever after, then we accept the imitation for the original. Once we do this, I maintain, we become so accustomed to second class that it becomes okay, acceptable, the standard. Our culture becomes one of acceptance rather than one of innovation. Granted, it is easier to swim downstream rather than up stream, but what price do we pay? We pay by becoming less authentic, less real.

We must demand the best of our schools, our artists, our leaders, ourselves. Without rigor in our culture, we will surely pay the price of ultimate neglect. As we look to the future, we should see that we do, indeed, live interactive lives. But, we also need to realize that without discriminating opinions about our culture, we will start to accept second best as first place. Our yellow submarine will look very much like a submarine, but the question will be come "will it hold out the water?"

Allied Arts of Arlington Heights

Allied Arts of Arlington Heights is a group of women who meet once a month to learn more about all artistic mediums and engage in some hands-on activities. The Kimball Hill gallery became an intimate stage when Gary DeVar entertained and shared his experience as a mime. He continued the fun during the refreshment hour and everyone had a wonderful afternoon.

The Council is pleased to offer artistic and dramatic programs to organizations. Please call 847-956-7966 if you would like information or to schedule an event.